The North’s stinging response came after the United States said on Monday it had introduced sanctions on three North Korean officials, including a top aide to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, for alleged human rights abuses. Denuclearizing North Korea has made little progress since Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump met in Singapore in June in a historic summit. The two sides have yet to reschedule working-level talks between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and senior North Korean official Kim Yong Chol, which were canceled abruptly in November.

North Koreans are marking the seventh anniversary of the death of leader Kim Jong Il with visits to statues and vows of loyalty to his son, Kim Jong Un. As snow fell Sunday, a steady flow of North Koreans offering flowers and paying respects to the late leader could be seen at Mansu Hill in central Pyongyang, the location of huge bronze statues of the “Dear Leader” and national founder Kim Il Sung. The anniversary observations were expected to continue through Monday across the country.

In a rare interview, Mazloum Kobani told Reuters that Washington had made “serious attempts” to prevent a Turkish offensive against Kurdish fighters who control a swathe of northern Syria at the Turkish border, but the United States should ramp up its efforts further. The SDF, which is spearheaded by the Kurdish YPG militia, has been at the heart of the U.S.-backed fight against Islamic State. SDF commander-in-chief Kobani warned that a Turkish assault would tie up YPG fighters who are currently fighting Islamic State remnants in eastern Syria, allowing the jihadists to spread again.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The head of North Carolina's elections board is suggesting more time may be needed to decide whether a new congressional district election is necessary due to absentee ballot fraud allegations.

The candidate, Mark Harris, holds a 905-vote lead in the North Carolina race, which hasn’t been certified by the state election board amid allegations that a consultant hired by his campaign destroyed or altered absentee ballots. The state board of elections will meet again before Dec. 21 and could call for a new election if wrongdoing is found to cast doubt on the entire election, according to North Carolina statute.